Microsoft May Bring Advertisements To Game Loading Screens

As Microsoft restructures its gaming business under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, it has reportedly filed a patent for a system that could show ads during gameplay and use in-game events to decide when they appear.

The idea is that players would start with a certain amount of ad-free playtime, and when that time is almost over, the game could wait for a natural pause, such as after a boss fight, cutscene, quest, or during a loading screen. The game would then temporarily pause to display an advertisement. After watching the ad, the player would receive additional ad-free playtime, called an "ad credit," allowing them to keep playing before another ad appears. Here's the abstract for "Contextually Aware Management of Interactive Software Application Access":

"A content management system may obtain a promoted content trigger event from an interactive software application based at least partially on content of the interactive software application. A content management system may suspend a user's interaction with the interactive software application based on the promoted content trigger event.

A content management system may obtain promoted audiovisual content. A content management system may present the promoted audiovisual content to the user. A content management system may commence the user's interaction with the interactive software application.

A content management system may establish a credit based at least partially on the promoted audiovisual content, wherein the credit delays suspension of the user's interaction with the interactive software application during a credit duration.